Fear not! God with us in every situation Part 1
This episode is a follow up podcast follow up to our last podcast titled “What to do with a bad medical report”. In that episode we dealt with the impact of a bad report not just of a medical nature but in all kinds of circumstances. we gave Biblical examples of what some Bible characters such as Kings David and Hezekiah did in their times of trial.
In this episode we’re going to use scripture to guide us through the some of the emotions that follow receiving such a report. Though not all totally inclusive, we will deal with following emotions:
- Anxiety
- Lonesomeness (different from loneliness)
- Helplessness
- Humility
- Believing the reality of God’s Assurance
- Actually feeling God’s presence
- Learning to let go and let God
- Anxiety
The Bible in Proverbs 18:10 says that “The Name of the Lord is the strong tower into whom the righteous run and are saved”. We’re reminded that our righteous is nothing but filthy rugs, however the book of Hebrew says that we are the righteous of God in Christ Jesus
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Supplication means asking earnestly and humbly. This means that one understands that God is their only help they are humbled by their powerlessness. Praying with thanksgiving is having the spirit of gratitude and hope in The Lord.
The restoration of hope, is acknowledging that Jesus is able and willing. this is seen in the story of the leper in Matthew 8:3 saying to the Lord that if the Lord was willing he, the Lord, will heal him. Jesus answered, “I am willing”.
Hope restores the power of faith in us. Hebrews 11:1 says that “faith is the substance of things HOPED for and evidence of things not seen”. It’s already done but not yet manifested to the naked eye.
This peace that surpasses all understanding, visible and invisible guards our hearts and minds through Christ as Paul told the Philippians. The mind is where the devil plants confusion and doubt to break the heart
- Lonesomeness vs loneliness
Loneliness is usually a transient condition that may lead to the more consequential emotional condition of Lonesomeness. Loneliness is generally the temporary absence of company of family and friends.
While lonesomeness is the general lack of friends or people whose presence helps one navigate life. When one is sick or is hurting, they need other people in their lives for counsel, assistance and emotional support and comfort.
David expressed that need of company and pointed us toward The Lord in Psalms 23. When one goes through that valley and death is staring at them, knowing that The Lord is shepherding them strengthens them not to give up, That was David yearning for a friend that is ever present in thought and proximity.
https://bible.com/bible/114/php.4.6-7.NKJV
Psalms 23:1, 4, 6 NKJV
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
The shadow of evil that David talked about in this Psalms gave him no fear and further in Psalms 91 the Bible shows us why. God’s shadow overtakes the shadow of evil:
Psalms 91:1-5 NKJV
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,”
Who is a friend?
The Bible tells us that God regarded Moses and Abraham as friends. I believe these are the only two Bible characters he referred to as “friends”. Jesus also referred to his disciples as friends in John 15 as we will see.
In Exodus 33:11, we read: “Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend”. Then in Isaiah 41:8 he says “… Abraham, my friend “.
We, like God, should value and choose friends wisely, see Proverbs below
A friend closer than a brother?
Proverbs 18:24 NIV
“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
https://bible.com/bible/111/pro.18.24.NIV
In this Proverb, God emphasized the relationship of a friend with reference to a closeness that implies a circle of depth closer than the biological relationship of a “sibling brother”. I used to struggle understanding this verse. How can a friend be that close? Should we look at siblings suspiciously? Then I’d drop the subject to avoid confusion.
Please understand here that “brother” in Biblical terms is not gender specific.
As we get older, in this experience called life, it gets clearer and clearer that the circle of brethren expands beyond biological relationships. A biological brother’s love is a natural expectation of birth. So it’s easier to explain and understand. That verse, Proverbs 18:24, teaches us that a friend’s “brotherly” love is a progressive bond of personal experiences. These experiences cumulatively add up to eliminate the condition of lonesomeness.
Some people are born without siblings, but are not lonesome. Some siblings pass away before others. Some siblings’ relationships fail. Then some siblings are just not physically present and/or are separated by distance especially at the time of need.
But such situations do not necessarily manifest in lonesomeness. That’s when we see the “friend who sticks closer than a brother”
It’s in situations like these that a bad report can be devastating to a person. The meaning of “friend” from The Book of Proverbs, aka “*Book of Wisdom*”, becomes apparent that we need a friend that sticks closer than a biological brother, sister or relative.
It is interesting to note that in John 15:14-15 Jesus added a condition to this friendship, what I call a *spiritual caveat*. The condition addresses a necessary attitude change. He said:
“You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you”.
Here, Jesus explains that a friend is someone you reveal deep personal things about you. He revealed all that he heard from God to them. That way they could carry on the ministry he’d leave them with.
Here also, Jesus shows us that a true legacy is what you leave in people so they may themselves have a life that gives, and not just a life to exist. A wise woman once said, “legacy is not what you leave for people but what you leave in them ( quote credit to Tasha Rubadiri )
- Helplessness
I Chronicles 28:20 NKJV
“And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.”
We may feel helpless if we perceive, true or not, that the people around us are not able to or capable of fulfilling their assigned roles. It may also be that the people around us or those we had placed our trust in do not come through as expected. Spouses may feel helpless and betrayed when those that raised their hand in marriage and swore “till death do us part”, come short of their vows even to the point of divorce.
Prophet Elisha’s assistant felt helpless surrounded by a strong Assyrian army of charioteers. Elisha prayed that the Lord open his eyes to see into the spiritual realm. When his spiritual eyes were opened, he was now able to see the full armed defense that God had protecting them. An army of soldiers with chariots of fire.
2 Kings 6:15-17 NLT
“When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”
Jesus also taught us by example when at his time of dire need, he chose three of his remaining disciples as personal confidants, to go and pray with him in the garden at Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42). However they also went to sleep on him, but he did not let lonesomeness cause him to condemn them nor give in to Satan.
Like prophet Elisha, Jesus knew that God’s resources were fully available for him to use. Jesus knew that God would never leave him nor forsake him neither to the enemy nor to any seemingly insurmountable circumstances he’d face.
So for you and I also, like Elisha’s servant, it may be hard to see a way out of situations at times. But we should always assured by 2 Corinthians 5:7 which says “For we walk by faith not by sight”. It is the hope vested in our faith in The Lord that carries us through
When faced with humanly insurmountable difficulties, sicknesses or attacks of any kind, have faith and know that God operates from a higher mostly unseen line of attack in your defense and protection.
Isaiah 59:19 says “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”
